Kirkuk could ignite war

The ongoing dispute over the status of Kirkuk is now igniting new fears of conflict in Iraq. Iraq's election law and attempts to impose an ethnic division of Kirkuk's government is sparking angry reactions among Kurds in the province. Kurdish councilors have made a very blatant call for Kirkuk to be integrated into Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government. Iraqi President Talabani, also a Kurd, said the call from the province was merely a threat of unilateral action if Iraq's government fails to act, though all the same it caused enough worry in Ankara that Turkey's Prime Minister called Talabani.

Because of the dispute Iraq has failed to enact an election law already troubled by resistance from other parties who wish for the elections to be delayed. The failure came as a result of the Kurdish parties walking out and Talibani vetoing the legislation.

Iraq has also deployed troops to the city of Kirkuk in the province in response to violence there, though Kurdish politicians have opposed the deployment. Arab tribal leaders including the heads of several U.S.-armed Awakening groups have threatened violence if Kirkuk is brought into the Kurdish region. In spite of this Kurdistan's President Massoud Barzani has called the city of Kirkuk a "city of Kurdistan" his visit being boycotted by Arab and Turkish representative.

Turkey has warned the dispute could create violence if Kurds tried to unilateraly bring the province into the KRG. At the same time Kurds are suggesting Turkey is interfering in the dispute and trying to keep Kirkuk from being brought into Kurdistan.

Turkey also continues to have problem with its own Kurdish population, mainly the PKK. Despite launching an incursion into Northern Iraq Turkey is still facing heavy attacks from the PKK. Turkey one such attack took place in Istanbul with a terrorist bombing killing 17 civilians in the major city. Another major attack was made on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipline leading to it being cut off. Most recently nine Turkish soldiers were killed by the PKK including eight who died after hitting a roadside bomb. This may convince Turkish leaders that the operation in Northern Iraq had not succeeded.

If the Kurdish region attempts to bring Kirkuk in unilaterally as well this could lead to a major conflict in Kirkuk which could draw Turkey in to protect the Turkish minority in Northern Iraq as well with the continuing PKK attacks as an additional justification for sparking all-out war with the Kurds.